Please help. Next to our basement toilet is a pipe that goes into the ground. It has a collar on it. We followed it and believe it to be the waste vent. Problem: there is leakage around where the pipe enters the floor. It is very slow, but it is waste water. What is wrong? I shall call a plumber first thing Monday, but I am anxious to know what this is and how expensive it will be to repair. Thanks.

This sounds like a leak at the lead and okum poured and caulked joint in the cast iron. If that's where it's leaking from it may be a minor repair consisting of simply recaulking the joint.
Good luck, Tom

Yes, it appears there is some deterioration near the collar. I sure hope that you are right. Any other folks with some ideas?

Show us a picture.

I can't give you one. Try to imagine it. It is a 4" pipe next to the basement toilet that is leaking poopy substance.

Got that part. The question is where is the leak? Tom is assuming the leak is from the joint itself. He is probably right but seems strange if this is a vertical pipe. I'm suspecting a cracked or split pipe. Can you verify?

The pipe has not leaked for several days. It has been dry.

Have someone caulk the lead joint. (see image). Good luck and I hope that's all it is. Tom

I have been checking all week and the area around the pipe is bone dry. I have a theory that maybe what I saw was knocked over toilet brush water? (No one owns up, but it is possible) If there were a leak, even small, wouldn't I have seen something all this week? As I say, it's bone dry. Helen thanks.

I'm with Speedball on this one - only one more angle to cover. Maybe the line backed up momentarily and leaked up through the caulked joint. Since the blockage cleared, it hasn't done it since - or until it happens again. Keep an eye on it every time you flush - if solid waste doesn't sweep through the line quickly, it will cause a momentary backup behind the solids until there is enough water behind it to push it on down. Meanwhile, it will likely come up through the leaky joint.

Here it is days later and still no water seeping. I just wonder if that toilet bowl container didn't fall and spill. Bone dry around the pipe, bone dry about the toilet and floor. Hmmmmm.

If its not leaking at this time, and you aren't getting any sewer gas smells, id say you are correct, water was spilled. I wouldn't worry about it any more unless you see water on the floor again. Come on back if you do and we will try to help.

Thank you very much. All help was much appreciated. Helen